Lara dedicates Hall of Fame honour to father

Brian Lara, who was inducted into the ICC's Hall of Fame at the awards ceremony in Colombo on Friday evening, dedicated the honour to his late father Bunty Lara, who died before his son played a Test. Lara also credited his brother Winston and sister Agnes during the function at the Water's Edge Resort, saying they'd played important roles in his development as a cricketer.

"This person you see today before you accepting this Hall of Fame honour is someone he [Bunty Lara] moulded. He ensured that I had everything I needed to succeed as a cricketer and in life, even in trying times," Lara said. "He made a special effort to make sure everything was there.

"I had to work hard ... but I knew I had strong support. My biggest pain was that he did not see me play a Test match, but having the West Indies team in Trinidad at his funeral was a special tribute to the man who made sure I was given the tools to play this glorious game and make such a lasting contribution."

Lara ended his 17-year international career as Test cricket's leading run-scorer, with 11,953 runs at an average of 52.88 in 131 matches, a record that has been beaten since. However, he still holds the record for the highest individual score - 400 against England in Antigua in 2004. He had held it before as well, when he scored 375, also against England in Antigua in 1994, to go past Garry Sobers' 365. He also holds the record for the highest first-class score: 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham* in 1994.

In the 299 ODIs that he played, Lara scored 10,405 runs at an average of 40.48. In 2004, when captaining West Indies, he led the team to victory in the Champions Trophy against England at the Oval.

"As a boy, you never really thought of Hall of Fames, you never really thought of records. Growing up in the '70s my heroes were Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Roy Fredericks as a left-hand batsman. I am happy I was able to spend 17 years in the West Indies and was able to contribute in a way worthy of this honour," Lara said. "It is nice to share it with my family.

"Tonight I had my brother and my sister here with me. Agnes is the one who took me to my first coaching clinic when I was six, and Winston was a role model as a stylish right-handed batsman ... so to have them here is very special."

Lara said his most memorable series was the four home Tests against Australia in 1999, when he scored 213 in Jamaica and 153 in Barbados to help West Indies draw the rubber 2-2.

"The 213 against Australia in Jamaica is definitely my best innings," he said. "You have to understand the climate at that time. Going into that match, landing in Jamaica and knowing that everything was on the line - your captaincy, the series, respect and adoration by your fans. The mental strength I mustered during that week was something that when I looked back, it was very hard to measure anything against that.

"The performance was something I cherish and the fact that we won the match to level the series, after we were bowled out for 51 the week before in Trinidad, felt great. I thought the way I handled it was special. It is something I will never ever forget ... it's a day's cricket I will be talking about for a very long time. The 153 in Barbados the following week was rated higher by Wisden and the cricketing gurus but the double century in Jamaica was my best effort."

Your father missed a lot. There is no better sight in Test cricket than Brian Lara in full flight

POSTED BY
harshthakor
on | September 17, 2012, 16:18 GMT

Lara is arguably the best West Indian test match batsman of all time .No batsman of the modern era for registering such mammoth scores ,including Gary Sobers ,Tendulkar and Viv Richards.Unlike Viv,Lara had to champion the cause of one of the weakest teams and he was far more tested in a crisis.Lara ,at his best had phenomenal run aggregates in series eg 798 v England in 1994 and 765 v England in 1995 and 688 in 3 tests v Sri Lanka.His 153 not out v Australia at Bridgetown on a broken track is the best ever knock in a run chase.Where Viv scored over Lara was his greater ability against pace bowling and ability to mercilessly dominate the opposition to submission.However at his best like when scoring 277 in Australia in 1992-93 Lara was on par with Viv.In terms of pure artistry I would club Lara with Rohan Kanhai,another all-time great.

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 14:48 GMT

Remember Sir Brian Charles Lara made the so called great Shane Warne get dropped from the Aussie team and he also wanted to quit the game after some good lashes. Sachin never cause Shane to ever contemplate those thoughts

POSTED BY
jb633
on | September 17, 2012, 13:01 GMT

Lara was by far the best entertainer but Sachin was the more consistent. People saying that Sachin always played for a good team are wrong. I recall Sachin in the 90's, the peak of Sachin, and his excellent contributions in losing causes. Idiots say that when Sachin scores 100's India lose, in reality there would have been many more embarssments had he failed.
No batsman could light up a crowd like Lara though. Once he got in, teams knew that they were going to fetch leather for a long time.

POSTED BY
Noman_Yousuf_Dandore
on | September 17, 2012, 8:42 GMT

Now if any batsman in the modern era deserved it, it was Brian Lara; sheer genius, sheer class!

POSTED BY
Princepurple1979
on | September 17, 2012, 8:24 GMT

I am an Indian and has watched almost all Sachin big innigses. However I can say for certain (IMO), that when Lara was on song, Sachin was no match for him. The kind of shots lara could conjure up, the timing of his attacks,the way he picks up the pace, the way he nurtured the tail enders, these are all qualities which made me rate Lara ahead of Sachin. In India people would say Sachin had to play under pressure! Well if he was under pressure while having the likes of Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly, Sehwag etc then what can I say about Lara! Lara - The greatest batsman of our era..i miss you a lot...

POSTED BY
harshthakor
on | September 17, 2012, 8:14 GMT

Arguably Tendulkar just noses Lara overall because of his greater consistency and temperament .In pure test cricket it is neck to neck but in combined cricket Sachin certainly wins the battle.Wheras Lara posessed superior flair and artistry Tendulkar was clinically better and more difficult to dismiss.Tendulkar had all the components of a perfect batsman and arguably deserves a place more than Laraor Viv Richards in the all -time world 11.Dominating a game for over 22 years at the top has never been achieved.Tendulkar faced more pressure than any great batsman ever.

POSTED BY
harshthakor
on | September 17, 2012, 8:08 GMT

Brian Lara posessed greater creative genius than any modern day great .His batting revealed the artistry of a musical composer.I rate Lara at his best ahead of Tendulkar,particularly when the chips were down.He could change the complexion of a game or series more than Tendulkar as he showed in the 1999 Frank Worrel trophy where his 3 centuries turned the fate of the series and almost enabled West Indies to regain the Frank Worrel trophy after it all seemed lost at one stage.No great batsman after George Headley as borne the brunt of scoring runs for his team as Lara who has the highest average percentage score of the team's total score than anyone since Headley.

What placed Lara lower amongst the pantheon of greats was his inconsistency.However remember he played for one of the weakest batting sides.I rate Lara the best left -handed batsman of all,ahead of Sobers and Pollock.

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 5:57 GMT

@featurewriter - Know your facts, Shane Warne rated Tendulkar at #1 and Lara at #2 in his list of Top 100 Greatest Players he played with or against. Oh by the way, Inzamam was placed at #90 in that list.

POSTED BY
Vineeth59
on | September 18, 2012, 8:14 GMT

Waiting for the day we can could him as SIR. Brian Charles Lara

POSTED BY
mazdonal
on | September 17, 2012, 22:09 GMT

Your father missed a lot. There is no better sight in Test cricket than Brian Lara in full flight

POSTED BY
harshthakor
on | September 17, 2012, 16:18 GMT

Lara is arguably the best West Indian test match batsman of all time .No batsman of the modern era for registering such mammoth scores ,including Gary Sobers ,Tendulkar and Viv Richards.Unlike Viv,Lara had to champion the cause of one of the weakest teams and he was far more tested in a crisis.Lara ,at his best had phenomenal run aggregates in series eg 798 v England in 1994 and 765 v England in 1995 and 688 in 3 tests v Sri Lanka.His 153 not out v Australia at Bridgetown on a broken track is the best ever knock in a run chase.Where Viv scored over Lara was his greater ability against pace bowling and ability to mercilessly dominate the opposition to submission.However at his best like when scoring 277 in Australia in 1992-93 Lara was on par with Viv.In terms of pure artistry I would club Lara with Rohan Kanhai,another all-time great.

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 14:48 GMT

Remember Sir Brian Charles Lara made the so called great Shane Warne get dropped from the Aussie team and he also wanted to quit the game after some good lashes. Sachin never cause Shane to ever contemplate those thoughts

POSTED BY
jb633
on | September 17, 2012, 13:01 GMT

Lara was by far the best entertainer but Sachin was the more consistent. People saying that Sachin always played for a good team are wrong. I recall Sachin in the 90's, the peak of Sachin, and his excellent contributions in losing causes. Idiots say that when Sachin scores 100's India lose, in reality there would have been many more embarssments had he failed.
No batsman could light up a crowd like Lara though. Once he got in, teams knew that they were going to fetch leather for a long time.

POSTED BY
Noman_Yousuf_Dandore
on | September 17, 2012, 8:42 GMT

Now if any batsman in the modern era deserved it, it was Brian Lara; sheer genius, sheer class!

POSTED BY
Princepurple1979
on | September 17, 2012, 8:24 GMT

I am an Indian and has watched almost all Sachin big innigses. However I can say for certain (IMO), that when Lara was on song, Sachin was no match for him. The kind of shots lara could conjure up, the timing of his attacks,the way he picks up the pace, the way he nurtured the tail enders, these are all qualities which made me rate Lara ahead of Sachin. In India people would say Sachin had to play under pressure! Well if he was under pressure while having the likes of Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly, Sehwag etc then what can I say about Lara! Lara - The greatest batsman of our era..i miss you a lot...

POSTED BY
harshthakor
on | September 17, 2012, 8:14 GMT

Arguably Tendulkar just noses Lara overall because of his greater consistency and temperament .In pure test cricket it is neck to neck but in combined cricket Sachin certainly wins the battle.Wheras Lara posessed superior flair and artistry Tendulkar was clinically better and more difficult to dismiss.Tendulkar had all the components of a perfect batsman and arguably deserves a place more than Laraor Viv Richards in the all -time world 11.Dominating a game for over 22 years at the top has never been achieved.Tendulkar faced more pressure than any great batsman ever.

POSTED BY
harshthakor
on | September 17, 2012, 8:08 GMT

Brian Lara posessed greater creative genius than any modern day great .His batting revealed the artistry of a musical composer.I rate Lara at his best ahead of Tendulkar,particularly when the chips were down.He could change the complexion of a game or series more than Tendulkar as he showed in the 1999 Frank Worrel trophy where his 3 centuries turned the fate of the series and almost enabled West Indies to regain the Frank Worrel trophy after it all seemed lost at one stage.No great batsman after George Headley as borne the brunt of scoring runs for his team as Lara who has the highest average percentage score of the team's total score than anyone since Headley.

What placed Lara lower amongst the pantheon of greats was his inconsistency.However remember he played for one of the weakest batting sides.I rate Lara the best left -handed batsman of all,ahead of Sobers and Pollock.

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 5:57 GMT

@featurewriter - Know your facts, Shane Warne rated Tendulkar at #1 and Lara at #2 in his list of Top 100 Greatest Players he played with or against. Oh by the way, Inzamam was placed at #90 in that list.

POSTED BY
Roshini
on | September 17, 2012, 5:55 GMT

Brian Charles Lara..,the finest, most gracious and magically talented batsman of our times who enthralled millions of spectators around the world with his sheer batting and a great sense of humbleness. A genius who played the game for the crowds and won the respect of the world by leaving the game at the most appropriate time. Never the greedy, he always knew what his shelf life was unlike some of our sub-continental blokes who have had played the game well beyond expiry only to become an absolute eye-sore. Above all we stand in unison to express our gratitude to Lara's parents for giving such a wonderful "GEM" to this world where we all have been so fortunate to have witnessed in the past 17 years that not only made cricket look artistry but also dignified. Roshini Vass - Homagama - Sri Lanka

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 5:55 GMT

@musa441- For your info, Tendulkar has 20 Test 100's in wins which is higher than Lara, Steve Waugh and Inzamam's 100'a in wins. Inzamam isn't even half as good as VVS Laxman, he flopped against Australia and South Africa all his life averaging 30 odd against them, whereas Laxman did brilliantly against the Aussies. Inzamam is comparable to Sourav Ganguly, LOL.

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 4:42 GMT

well i would say that lara was the greatest batsmen of 90's. because he was always under pressure to perform.there were no more stalwarth in the WI CAMP during his reign.he single handedly won many accolads for him & his team.compared to tendulkar who is god of cricket in India he had a great line up of Rahul dravid,Saurav ganguly,Vvs laxman,Virender sehwag,and the list goes on.so he did'nt really had that kind of pressure.hats of to Lara and my best wishes to him for his future.

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 4:23 GMT

I am from Trinidad, I live in Port of Spain the city where BC Lara is called the "The Prince of Port of Spain" I have met the man had drinks in Queens Park oval Port of Spain (where the pavilion is named after him) with the man himself and I will tell you just as I told him on any given day or at any moment I would pay to see BC Lara but if my life was on the line and I need someone who can give me 50 run I want Sachin to be next to bat. Lara would score and score big yes and we love him for that but but he has had very high ups and very low downs, where as Sachin as maintained his level a very high one for a long time and consistency and you cant really argue with that Both fantastic players

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 3:09 GMT

I am very proud to be living in Lara and Sachin Era... I would tell my grand kids in my old days how i was enjoy watching these two legends play in the ground...

POSTED BY
musa441
on | September 17, 2012, 2:59 GMT

lara, inzimam , and steve waugh better than tendulkar!! how? becoz their hundreds made the team won unlike tendulkar even his 100th hundred proved to be the main reason of his team's loss against bangladesh as he took atleast 20 balls to get from 93 to 100 in the last overs of the innings lol!! this is why lara tops then inzimam and steve waugh comes !!

POSTED BY
Biggus
on | September 17, 2012, 2:58 GMT

Respect from an Aussie to this humble human being and sublime batsman, truly one of the most magical of talents to grace the game. Hats off to a champ.

POSTED BY
featurewriter
on | September 17, 2012, 2:56 GMT

If Lara had played the same number of Test matches as Tendulkar (190), Lara would have scored an additional 2,000 runs. Their centuries per match are almost identical; but it's Lara's ability to score big hundreds that makes the difference. I remember reading about Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne rating Lara's wicket as the most significant on the international circuit when they were both playing; and they were, without question, the best pace and spin bowlers of their generation.

POSTED BY
satish619chandar
on | September 17, 2012, 2:27 GMT

@SriLanka12 : Doesn't you sound kiddish? Even longevity is a quality. Lara couldn't handle it for 17 years but Sachin could. Let us give credit where it is due. Lara is absolute treat to watch when in full cry. Lara in full flow vs Sachin in full flow - Absolutely Lara will win. But Lara vs Sachin on a whole, Sachin will win..

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 1:43 GMT

to me he is d best in d world to comparer him to others their is no other the only one of his kind yea sachin great but to different players their nop one who can compile a innings like lara he is the best no question about it . he is d champ of cricket

POSTED BY
karusubra
on | September 17, 2012, 1:31 GMT

Lara you are always special to us.Great cricketer and retired when in form and the man is not worrying about records.

POSTED BY
lananad
on | September 17, 2012, 1:06 GMT

How many runs Tendulkar scores does not matter.I rate Lara ahead of sachin ,simply because Lara always scored under pressure in crunch games. Also he batted alone when no other good players arund him. Brian Charles Lara is the best.Simple as that..

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 1:04 GMT

Congratz ..Brian....we miss those long innnings of urs... :-)

POSTED BY
kentjones
on | September 17, 2012, 0:15 GMT

Brian Lara must be rated by any cricket follower as a batsman and cricketer of the top drawer. Plain and simple an exciting artistic batsman that enthralled his audience with his brilliance and his singular determination to make the game of cricket enjoyable and fun whist he was at the crease. I never lost an opportunity to see him play since I was guaranteed that he would do his utmost to thrill those in his presence, and invariably he succeeded in this regard. Many have said that Lara played for records, but the truth is he played for the crowds. His averages could have been much higher if he was less aggressive, but then he wont be Lara, would he. He wielded his bat like a magician wafted his wand and the results were simply enchanting. it is simply amazing that such an attacking aggressive batsman could so many huge hundreds, and this fact that he is the holder of the highest score in both first class and test cricket speak volumes about his ability as a batsman.

POSTED BY
on | September 17, 2012, 0:08 GMT

Astonishingly talented batsman! On his day every other cricketer could only stand in awe. opponents could but struggle against the tide of Lara's genius, and silently, inwardly, applaud and worship. I can never forget how he could launch himself into a stroke, and then - almost as an afterthought - change his mind and still dispatch the ball to the boundary!

POSTED BY
ThinEdge
on | September 17, 2012, 0:02 GMT

Well done.....congratulations BCL!!!!!! Had the priviledge to see BCL from the time he played U-19. ..and the honor to meet him a few times...great guy and the best batsman this era.....thank you for some of the most exciting batting displays.

That high back lift...the hop shuffle followed by the glorious wielding of the blade -ball rocketing off to the bourdary....BCL THE BEST!!!!!

POSTED BY
2.14istherunrate
on | September 16, 2012, 23:24 GMT

I do not not know what the hierarchy of greatest batsmen should look like. I have always placed Viv at the top of those of my era. Lara comes pretty close to that, not simply for figures but for the delightful manner of their achievement. I first saw him at Arundel in 1991 and thought Gower.Well that is the highest praise from an Englishman.After that he made a singular point of performing in that manner and more against our bowlers. I have wondered what he would do if someone overtook his world record. Would he peel away the years and return to take back the highest Test score? To have won that accolade once was amazing; to wrestle it back 10 years later is unspeakably excellent.There is no description adequate to the feat. Hell, many of his other tons were too damned fine to not call the best. But my highest enjoyment of was reserved for when he played Australia as half my heart was not in my mouth when he was caning them. True brilliance is Lara shaped.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 22:21 GMT

Greatest batsman i have seen weilding a bat behind Vivian Richards.I quit watching west indies playing since the day he retired.By the way this is cmming from a south indian

POSTED BY
yorkslanka
on | September 16, 2012, 21:35 GMT

Lara was a player who could single handedly take the game away from the opposition...his magical score against england, was just an amazing innings...retired too early in my opinion but was a pleasure to watch...thanks for the entertainment BCL

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 20:22 GMT

Lara had some issues with his attitude, might be because of WICB otherwise he might have broken all records of batting world. I would rate his talent far ahead of Sachin's, but Sachin's attitude as a player and as human being give him a little bit of edge in stats

POSTED BY
kanwar11
on | September 16, 2012, 20:17 GMT

@arilanka 12 so who stopped him from doing that???????

POSTED BY
SriLanka12
on | September 16, 2012, 19:24 GMT

Sachin who??? Its only Lara... Sachin started playing cricket when he was around 17. and he completed his 100th international century this year. If Lara played Cricket when he was around 17 I cant imagine his stats

POSTED BY
AllroundCricketFan
on | September 16, 2012, 19:23 GMT

Brian Charles Lara - Crickets Number 1 batsman - even better than Don Bradman. Just my opinion. Undoubtedly the modern times greatest bat.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 18:57 GMT

In my opinion, Sachin is a best oneday player but Lara is the most powerful test player

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 18:51 GMT

LARA IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF QUALITY BATTING.....!!! THE BEST BATSMAN OF HALL OF FAME.....

POSTED BY
albygld
on | September 16, 2012, 18:14 GMT

Lara is the best .. stylish great batsman

POSTED BY
thalalara
on | September 16, 2012, 18:01 GMT

Lets not glorify saying that this man doesn't play for records... gimme a break... 400 against England in 2004 was the most greediest innings played by a cricketer....

POSTED BY
HLANGL
on | September 16, 2012, 18:00 GMT

"Growing up in the '70s my heroes were Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Roy Fredericks as a left-hand batsman." How true, in fact Lara was the modern day Roy Federicks, the stance, the way of execution of strokes & the range had been almost identical between the two. Federicks may have been much more destructive on his day, dominant against even the fastest bowlers around, & a great batsman in his own right, still Lara has been a much more consistent batsman who enjoyed a much longer international career as a batsman of highest calibre & one of all-time greats.

POSTED BY
leon1971
on | September 16, 2012, 17:48 GMT

oh how i wish to see him bat again its always been a pleasure to watch a god sent batsman

Comparisons between great players are what keeps the fans going. For arguably one of the longest low runs in the history of one of the great cricketing nations, Lara was literally the one beacon of light for any fan of WI cricket. However, IMO you cannot compare players of different styles, psyches, backgrounds, and eras. SRT vs Lara vs Ponting, in recent times, or Sobers vs Pollock, Khan, Hadlee, Botham or Dev. Akram in a class of his own. Is Kallis the greatest all rounder ever, and so on. I am just happy to enjoy all their collective geniuses.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 17:43 GMT

you people always go crazy with comparisions,,,,any way i feel very lucky to be in a period where 2 ultimate legends of cricket history have played ..sachin and lara....may be sachin m8 go down as the greatest batsmen of all time but lara is very much brilliant with his captaincy and match winning innings

POSTED BY
praveen4honestremark
on | September 16, 2012, 17:20 GMT

Lara, you have shown perfect character. Good way. Future generations of cricketers will take you as inspiration and role model on how to be ground to earth and never forget people who are behind our success and who cared, prayed for our success.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 17:02 GMT

Brian Lara... What can i say about him. He inspired me because i was too, a left handed batsman. I was very young when Lara played maybe 8-10 years. But gosh i do remember him, and one of his trademark pulls which he left his right knee and plays the shot. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. He was humble and so down to earth for a batsman of his caliber. Brian Lara was one of a kind. Hats off to you sir!!

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 16:58 GMT

BC Lara is the best of the best modern cricketer and deserves the recognition given. I think though that his best performance was his knock of 277. Congrats to The Prince of TnT {Super Explosive}

POSTED BY
MUZ.S.
on | September 16, 2012, 16:24 GMT

Hail Brian C. Lara!!! Yes! A master of strokeplay. I had the good fortune to watch a vast number of Batters visiting the shores of India; none has the AMPLE TIME to choose how to play and place a perticular delivery offered by the best of what Indian bowlers had to offer. Maybe it was to do with his stance at the wicket or the way he TAKES THAT SPRINGY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT and adjusts so well to take ball on the meat of his willow. Foe a certainty cricket went poorer the day Brian announced his retirement.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 15:57 GMT

Lara... the greatest batsman ever.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 15:37 GMT

stop comparision between tendulkar and lara boyh are legends.i didn't see lara live many times but saw highlights he is magnificent striker of the cricket ball gem of cricket

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 15:33 GMT

Congratulations world records holder Brian Lara! LARA is still the greatest test batsman with most scores over 150 in the game, including the only 400 (and 501 in first class). I had the pleasure of being in Barbados and seeing that 153 in 1999 to beat Aus, (which if it was a 3 test series- we would have 2-1 ) and it defintely deserves the wisden ranking. Also the 375 and 277 are innings of the greatest class exhibited ever. Brian Charles Lara is the reason west indians like myself are always proud!

POSTED BY
ottoflick
on | September 16, 2012, 15:06 GMT

McGrath, akram,Warne and murali was ask the who was the batsman they feared the most or who they respected and they all said bc lara,not tendulkar......... So don't even bother to bring lara down to tendulkar level. Don't get me wrong Sachin is ah world class player but lara is universal.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 14:54 GMT

The best I've seen on any ground by any player. He commanded respect wherever he went and that is the difference he made, that set him above the rest. His talent was fearful, the opposition knew that, his timing near perfect, his placement (thank Ian Chappell) was illusive. This is only my opinion BRIAN LARA WAS THE GREATEST BATMAN I'VE EVER SEEN, AND I HAVE SEEN MANY, WHO HAS EVER GRACED THE ISLANDS OF THE WEST INDIES. He has been a hall of famer ever since he first held a bat.

POSTED BY
shadab732
on | September 16, 2012, 14:50 GMT

@geawan yeah sachin played 100 more matches..in the same no.of years that lara played...with a better career average and a better strike rate than lara!!

POSTED BY
Kaze
on | September 16, 2012, 14:49 GMT

How can someone win single handedly in cricket ? I guess Lara was a couple bowlers, a keeper and all the fieldsmen too.

POSTED BY
west_indiesBoss
on | September 16, 2012, 14:41 GMT

im not being biased as im a west indian.. but simply saying - SRT might hav better stats.. which btw.. wernt better at the time of lara's retirement.. but at the end of the day - lara is simply CLASS.. there may be batsmen who may come along and break both lara and SRT's records.. no doubt.. and then it would just be their style of batting that would be left to judge them.. and in that sense.. you CANNOT surpass B.C LARA.. time he ought to be knighted

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 14:38 GMT

Lara kya hai mara'... my all time favorite.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 14:35 GMT

LARA IS THE GREAT PLAYER I WAS MEET HIM WHEN VISIT MADAM TASU IN LONDON ..BEING A PAKISTANI I ALWAYS APPRCITE THE GREAT PLAYER LIKE HANIF MOHAMMED-FAZAL MAHMOOD AND ALSO JHANGIR KHAN LEGAND OF SQUESH

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 14:22 GMT

Lara is great ....and the best i have watched played the game because he made all those runs in a losing cause.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 13:57 GMT

Brian Lara, what a great player he was, I will not compare with him any other batsman, he has scored most of the runs against Aus, Eng and Srilanka, he never played with B grade team, like Zim, Ban, Key and so on otherwise he would have scored tons of runs.. I enjoy his batting watching in youtube till now ... his back foot is remarkable, he used to get enough time to see the ball... congrats LARA

POSTED BY
albygld
on | September 16, 2012, 13:52 GMT

dont compare Lara with Tendulkar. sachin can no wer near BC Lara.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 13:13 GMT

What a great cricketer! Can a cricketer like Lara be compared ? Cricketer non pareil!

POSTED BY
geawan
on | September 16, 2012, 12:56 GMT

@Bublu Bhuyan he batted that long to avoid the whitewash. The first thing on the minds of west indians was avoiding that whitewash. If we gambled and declared early we might have lost the match given the batsman friendly nature of that pitch.

@shadab732 sachin had 5000 more odi runs but how many more matches had he played at that time? i think it was at least 100 more than lara.

Matters not both are great players and we should be happy we got to see them play at their best. Congrats to Brian. Excellent to see him pay tribute to his family.

POSTED BY
Hardy1
on | September 16, 2012, 12:54 GMT

Who cares whether Lara's better than Sachin, let's just be glad that cricket has the privilege of having had both of them.

POSTED BY
lala88
on | September 16, 2012, 12:42 GMT

Sir Brian Lara You are the greatest batsman I have ever seen. I'm Sri Lankan.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 12:31 GMT

Lara s Lara. Sachin is sachin. You are you then why cringing. We girls contemplate the way you guys do.

POSTED BY
777aditya
on | September 16, 2012, 12:14 GMT

Just goes to show how a supporting family plays an important role in a superstar's career. Conversely, players like Lara and Sachin who dedicate their triumphs to their family also reflects the fact that a content family man ascends the greatest heights. I HOPE MY WIFE READS THIS COMMENT!

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 11:46 GMT

If there was going to be a last day of test cricket and forever no more, the most fitting ending to bring the curtains down to this glorious game would be seeing an epic and winning final century by Sir Brian Charles Lara against Warne, Murali and Akram one last time...say no more.

POSTED BY
PACERONE
on | September 16, 2012, 11:46 GMT

What a great team the 16 inducted players would make.Fill ing the first 5 batting positions and you might have Lara sobers Walcott batting 5,7 8 with Marshal at 8.Bowling Gibbs with Marshall and your pick of 2 of the other fast bowlers.I would of loved to See Lara and Sobers batting with W.I 500 on the board.Congratulation the amazing Mr.Lara.

POSTED BY
bismoy
on | September 16, 2012, 11:27 GMT

Lara underachived in ODI, even a sourav ganguly scored some 11000 runs in odi, Lara should have done better as he was way better than ganguly.

Well who is better sachin and Lara, is a difficult one tell, but sachin was techically more correct and hence a better batman.

POSTED BY
sathishraja
on | September 16, 2012, 11:23 GMT

every one said that lara retaired at correct time,while sachin had not,if sachin retired in lara's period,he miss his double ton and india would fail in 2011 icc wc semi final...retairement in cricket is a personal thing for a player,argument and debate about that has to be wrong one....

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 11:20 GMT

Good enough to be a consultant for batting spin, with a work ethic that ensured he was able to work out any pitch and many bowlers, the man who has the most scores over 150 in the game did so while dancing in the crease, playing each ball with his bat and not his pads played a very special square cut, hips swiveling when the wrists rolled and the ball caressed to the boundary as he once again punished the gap!!! Brian Charles Lara is the reason we Windies fans STILL look at the game, as he made us understand how hope could be entertaining. Sad that like Jordan, he did not have a paternal view from the stands for his greatest moments, but he played as if Bunty applauded his every effort, anyway. I will cherish having watched him play!

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 11:19 GMT

@Lahori92 - Neither Lara nor Ponting nor Dravid found a place in ESPN's Legends of Cricket (top 25 cricketers of all time). Tendulkar was rated the 7th greatest cricketer of all time in that list. That tells us who has been the best cricketer in the last 20 years.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 11:17 GMT

@Pheonix Man - Yea, that's why he batted for 2.5 days while batting first during his knock of 400*, which denied his team the opportunity of winning that Test.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 11:05 GMT

A question her, who made it to Cricinfo's All Time Test XI out of the two - Brian Lara or Sachin Tendulkar?

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 11:01 GMT

Yea, that's why he batted for 2.5 days while batting first during his knock of 400*, which resulted in his team not being able to win that match.

POSTED BY
ooper_cut
on | September 16, 2012, 11:00 GMT

I suggest all to chill and just enjoy the great man, that is B.C.Lara. Please do not belittle him or any other player during this time of honor for him. Anyone who dares to compare is just a fool.

POSTED BY
Lahori92
on | September 16, 2012, 10:58 GMT

shadab732 but dont you think the great man has been the best cricketer for the last 20 years, the only other players any where near him are ponting and dravid.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 10:56 GMT

Who averages more in Test and ODI's, Tendulkar or Lara?

POSTED BY
CricEshwar
on | September 16, 2012, 10:46 GMT

Everyone is so obsessed with comparing him over Sachin where there is no context goes out to show the impact Sachin Tendulkar has. Lara is a true genius and give him the independent respect he deserves. Congrats Lara.

POSTED BY
BinduKumar
on | September 16, 2012, 10:45 GMT

is it necessary to compare 2 different players from a different team playing against different teams for different teams at different locations in a team game? It is simply impossible! Stop comparing Lara and Sachin.. technically it is not possible to compare! Lara was a great batsman but had a tendency to throw away his wicket trying to be too aggressive at times even though he knew that all his other batting mates were mediocre ..

POSTED BY
shadab732
on | September 16, 2012, 10:36 GMT

@Lahori92 no ifs and buts in cricket...lara could not have played for 25 years , if he had played he would be 44 in age and i dont think he could have scored much...he could not outscore sachin in odis , i mean sachin was 5000 runs clear of lara when lara retired ..in tests lara was 1500 runs ahead of sachin though

POSTED BY
adillove
on | September 16, 2012, 10:31 GMT

Brian Lara was absolutely a great batsman and retired at great time good decision from him and Australian Glenn McGrath also not like SRT to play cricket for lifetime I'm sure if McGrath or Lara would have played much cricket like SRT they may had double of SRT records I think for SRT it's time to coach his team not to play with them I think if he had married at right time his children would be at the age of the players he is playing with!

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 10:21 GMT

with out any doubt LARA was only a player who was soo strong player. hitting big sixes and was a perfect player. i wish to meet him. he is nice person and my Favorited player ever.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 10:13 GMT

Mr.Brian Charles Lara no doubt the greatest batsman since Sir Vivian Alecxander Isaac Richards. He outclassed everyone during his time,and he did it with some authority. Lara was a joy to watch, well deserving of that honor prince Brian.

POSTED BY
shadab732
on | September 16, 2012, 10:12 GMT

i dont know why people say sachin played in a better team than lara...while a test match is won by picking up 20 wickets in the match...lara played in a team which had 2 world class fast bowlers ambrose and walsh...while sachin played in a team which had one world class bowler i.e. kumble...indian team has never got a bowling line up competent enough to take 20 wickets in a test match unlike the wi side of 90s

POSTED BY
Lahori92
on | September 16, 2012, 10:11 GMT

the great man left cricket at the right time with lot of respect from the cricketing world, unlike tendulker. Sachin should have retired after winning the world cup. Just imagine the number of runs Lara would have scored had he played for 25 years or what he would have achieved.

POSTED BY
sameer111111
on | September 16, 2012, 10:06 GMT

A pure joy to watch. Best batsman in the last 20 years. May not have the highest number of centuries or runs but if your team in on 50/5 with 300 more to go on a bowling pitch, would definitely prefer Lara over someone like Sachin.

its for warwickshire against durham, not the other way around. Lara is what u call a true legend, a sporting great not the likes of tendulker who's been playing for the last 25 years

POSTED BY
WillPash
on | September 16, 2012, 9:52 GMT

"He also holds the record for the highest first-class score: 501 not out for Durham against Warwickshire in 1994" - Correction it was for "Warwickshire against Durham in 1994". I remember that Monday afternoon when he hit the final runs of that momentous innings like it was yesterday.

Lara we salute you, your father would have been proud....

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 9:50 GMT

Will see umpteen number of comments here comparing Lara with Sachin.Both are terrific players in their own rights.If Sachin was a jovial architect of ODI,Lara made people come to grounds to watch test cricket.The 99 series against Aus.Oh my....he single handedly launched against the mighty aussies.And we can never forget those 400.375 etc.But to me,he ended up his career as an under-performer especially in ODIs.He had so much talent,that he could have won a lot more matches for Windies.That is where Sachin outshines Lara.Sachin always came back from bad patch and scored runs.Sheer talent-wise you can separate out the two.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 9:44 GMT

Quite easily the best batsman I have ever watched after Sachin Tendulkar... A true genius!! :)

POSTED BY
Gupta.Ankur
on | September 16, 2012, 9:43 GMT

Had it not been for the great SRT, Lara would have been the best batsman since 1990's and probably would have been invited by Bradman for the dinner..

Truly remarkable and treat to watch......there would be no other like him...

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 9:33 GMT

I sincerely believe he is the best batsman to have ever played the game.

POSTED BY
nibs
on | September 16, 2012, 9:25 GMT

Just a quick note: 'He also holds the record for the highest first-class score: 501 not out for Durham against Warwickshire in 1994.' AS a Warwickshire and Brain Lara Fan I need to point out the mistake: HIS RECORD FIRST CLASS 501 NOT OUT WAS FOR WARWICKSHIRE AGAINST DURHAM...Not the other way please

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 9:14 GMT

Ofcourse, Lara is the best and ahead of Sachin Tendulkar as well. Sachin is motivated to achieve personal records but Lara targetted to gain team interests.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 8:52 GMT

a true legend
he is way better than tendulker

POSTED BY
BellCurve
on | September 16, 2012, 8:45 GMT

Lara obviously is a deserving candidate. However, I do find it strange that the West Indies now has 17 cricketers in the Hall of Fame, whilst South Africa only has 2. Will South African legends such as Aubrey Faulkner, Mike Procter, Eddie Barlow, Bruce Mitchell, Trevor Goddard, Hugh Tayfield and Dudley Nourse, to name a few, ever be considered for the Hall of Fame? Pakistan, India, NZ, S-L and Zimbabwe are also grossly under represented. Not sure how this process works. It seems to favour the West Indies over other nations.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 8:45 GMT

I love Brian Charles Lara. Would love to go to Trinidad and see him one day. And yes, he single handedly won against Australia in 99.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 8:44 GMT

Greatest Batsman Post Vivian Richards. Simply Outstanding. Lara was better than all other great batsmen of his time. #1 Lara #2 The rest of them like Gilchrist, Jaysurya, Sehwag, Saeed Anwar, Inzimam, Sachin, and Ponting. None of his contemporaries boasts of such scores as 400 in test cricket, 501 in first class cricket, and most number of double hundreds in test cricket, boundaries, both fours and sixes of all the bowls in one over, scoring 28 runs in one over, 26 Runs Off One Over That Reads 46466, Five fours off one Symcox Over with the Fifth delivery being a dot, and winning two tests with two of his best knocks of 213 and 153 against the mightiest test team of his time, Australia at its peak coming from behind puts him ahead of the rest of the great batsmen of his time. If he had played for good teams like Australia or India like Ponting and Sachin did and had he played as long as Sachin did, Every batting record would have belonged to Brian Charles Lara.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 8:09 GMT

Lara means class, even when we were in opposition we enjoy seeing this gentleman bat. He will walk if he's out irrespective of the situation of the game. great man...

POSTED BY
saifur.raffael
on | September 16, 2012, 8:08 GMT

the greatest batsman modern days cricket .he had a very good stance .i would say he was a better cricketer than tendulkar

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 8:01 GMT

I wonder, her Majesty Queen Elizabeth will not forget a Knighthood for Brian Charles Lara!!!

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 7:58 GMT

BRIAN.C.LARA......The Best there was....The best there is......The Best there ever will be :-)

POSTED BY
Adeel9
on | September 16, 2012, 7:58 GMT

The best Modern day batsman

POSTED BY
Veera_Kannadiga
on | September 16, 2012, 7:50 GMT

If Lara was the moody poet, there was Shiv Chanders who was the everyday nightingale....a very much underrated cricketer when compared to Lara.

POSTED BY
Joby_George
on | September 16, 2012, 7:43 GMT

Lara we respect you. You have the class and you had it in you even now. If you were playing now, you could have been 5000 test runs ahead of sachin.

POSTED BY
nipo10847
on | September 16, 2012, 7:42 GMT

Probably the finest, the most stylish, and hands down the most talented batsman of all time. I was probably the biggest cricket fanatic but I lost my desire of watching games after 2007 world cup. Well deserved Charles! You're being missed!

POSTED BY
Aristotle01
on | September 16, 2012, 7:37 GMT

He and Sachin are the two representatives of the modern era in the category of the greatest batsmen of all time! Splitting hair's difference to chose between Sachin and Lara. Lara more aggressive and better S/R. SRT better technique and temperament.Lara had the greater ability to smash spinners. Sachin had the better ability to smash the fastest and the best bowlers of his time straight own the ground-straight as an arrow or over the slips head wit the full face of the bat!! Lara had the slight upper hand in terms of match changing ability, but Sachin was way more consistent and reliable. Thrilling entertainers. Batting geniuses.

POSTED BY
ahs123
on | September 16, 2012, 7:31 GMT

i strongly beleive if he had been playing t20 cricket he would have performed alot.... among all the greats like sachin, ponting, kallis, inzi and others oin my opinion his style of batting was most suited to t20....... fantasitc servent of cricket... living legend of cricket ....

Awsum batsman!!! and its a real tribute to be supported by a Pakistani :p

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 7:01 GMT

Hats off to this man...truly one of the best cricketer this game has ever produced!!!!

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 6:59 GMT

The most stylish batsman in the modern game. Well deserved.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 6:58 GMT

the real god ...Best batsman since i was kid till date..

POSTED BY
bluestar555
on | September 16, 2012, 6:48 GMT

Iam an Indian and Iam a great fan of Lara, probably the greatest ever Indian fan of Brian Charles Lara. Watched every innings of his be whatever the timezone. Stopped watching cricket with passion after Lara retired. They don't make players like him anymore.

POSTED BY
buddhikapm
on | September 16, 2012, 6:34 GMT

you are a gentlemen sir...please pay your time to improve the quality of the modern day game

POSTED BY
Ozcricketwriter
on | September 16, 2012, 6:22 GMT

well done lara, the best batsman of the past 30 years.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 6:21 GMT

He is a real hero in test cricket

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 6:04 GMT

The epitome of quintessential batsmanship. Recently introduced myself to a graduate class naming Lara and superbly proud to have done so. Just wish his visibility in the direction of WI cricket is amplified.

POSTED BY
Vidyashankar
on | September 16, 2012, 5:53 GMT

Oh. What a player Brian Charles Lara. To me him and Sachin are the greatest cricketers of all time and role models for any cricketer.

POSTED BY
ak_dragon
on | September 16, 2012, 5:34 GMT

Brian Lara....A living legend for modern days of cricket...!

POSTED BY
Geeebs
on | September 16, 2012, 5:32 GMT

Greatest batsman of his generation

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:29 GMT

hail the Legend BRIAN CHARLES LARA!!!

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:28 GMT

He is surely a god's gift to the cricketing world.
A real batter with spark and amazing talent and a special gentleman of cricketing arena. His movement of toes was the finest of all.
A mentally tought cricketer who always believed in his ability.
One of the finest batter of all time, I have seen... Along with sachin....

POSTED BY
megabala123
on | September 16, 2012, 5:26 GMT

Congrats to the greatest left handed batsman of our generation !
He is the most beautiful and entertaining player to watch , just for his flambouyance and style :) He was part of a team which was on a constant down slide . And with that - the things he achieved and the many wonderful innings he gave is just greatness unlimited.

Though he wasn as effective in ODIs , i doubt if there has been a more attacking and effective batsman in TESTS this generation! I still remember watching the 153 not out innings much past midnight - during school exams :) it was magic

Congrats Brian Charles Lara :)

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:17 GMT

None greater and none more exciting than B.C. Lara..

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:13 GMT

As a Pakistani, I admire this cricketer. One of my favorite. Hope the West Indies youngster bring back the glory they once had in the cricket field. May God bless you.

No featured comments at the moment.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:13 GMT

As a Pakistani, I admire this cricketer. One of my favorite. Hope the West Indies youngster bring back the glory they once had in the cricket field. May God bless you.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:17 GMT

None greater and none more exciting than B.C. Lara..

POSTED BY
megabala123
on | September 16, 2012, 5:26 GMT

Congrats to the greatest left handed batsman of our generation !
He is the most beautiful and entertaining player to watch , just for his flambouyance and style :) He was part of a team which was on a constant down slide . And with that - the things he achieved and the many wonderful innings he gave is just greatness unlimited.

Though he wasn as effective in ODIs , i doubt if there has been a more attacking and effective batsman in TESTS this generation! I still remember watching the 153 not out innings much past midnight - during school exams :) it was magic

Congrats Brian Charles Lara :)

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:28 GMT

He is surely a god's gift to the cricketing world.
A real batter with spark and amazing talent and a special gentleman of cricketing arena. His movement of toes was the finest of all.
A mentally tought cricketer who always believed in his ability.
One of the finest batter of all time, I have seen... Along with sachin....

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 5:29 GMT

hail the Legend BRIAN CHARLES LARA!!!

POSTED BY
Geeebs
on | September 16, 2012, 5:32 GMT

Greatest batsman of his generation

POSTED BY
ak_dragon
on | September 16, 2012, 5:34 GMT

Brian Lara....A living legend for modern days of cricket...!

POSTED BY
Vidyashankar
on | September 16, 2012, 5:53 GMT

Oh. What a player Brian Charles Lara. To me him and Sachin are the greatest cricketers of all time and role models for any cricketer.

POSTED BY
on | September 16, 2012, 6:04 GMT

The epitome of quintessential batsmanship. Recently introduced myself to a graduate class naming Lara and superbly proud to have done so. Just wish his visibility in the direction of WI cricket is amplified.